The story you didn't know is about the Japanese fashion culture known as Gyaru, which gained immense popularity among young women across Japan until the early 2000s. A few years ago, the Y2K aesthetic made a comeback, and in Korea, the fashion and culture of the early 2000s began to regain popularity as well. It seems that the trend of early 2000s aesthetics has passed, but even until last year, it was easy to find elements of that era in women's fashion. In fact, I don't go out much, so I'm not sure, but my team members mentioned it. Celebrities, especially idols, have also showcased clothing and concepts inspired by the Y2K aesthetic. As styles from about 20 years ago became popular again, the Gyaru culture, which is inseparable from early 2000s fashion, has also been reexamined. Many idols and influencers have started a trend known as Gyaru Peace, which is a V.

The pose originates from the gyaru culture. In addition to this, thick-soled shoes and loose socks have gained popularity, leading to a modernized gyaru makeup style receiving attention. However, the fashion and makeup that come to mind when we think of gyaru are somewhat unique; they are not just well-decorated with individuality but rather excessively extravagant to the point of being bizarre. Brightly dyed blonde hair, darkly tanned skin, revealing fashion, long eyelashes, and heavy makeup featuring dark eyeshadow and thick eyeliner are representative of the gyaru look. Currently, in Japan, it is hard to believe that the extreme gyaru style was once in vogue, especially as we see idols and actors who pursue a natural and minimal makeup look, embodying a fresh and youthful image, gaining widespread popularity. Even before the gyaru trend, Japan had a preference for natural and conservative styles.

Makeup styles and conservative fashion were prevalent, as there was a social atmosphere that women should maintain a modest and neat image. So, how did the gyaru culture emerge in Japanese society, and how did it gain popularity? The origins of gyaru culture can be traced back to the late 1970s. At that time, Japan was experiencing an economic boom, enjoying unprecedented economic security and prosperity. As a result, the younger generation was able to pay more attention to various consumer cultures, including fashion. Additionally, with the influx of Western culture alongside economic prosperity, Japanese youth began to be influenced by the free and individualistic fashion styles of Europe and America. Furthermore, with the development of the women's liberation movement, many women started to break away from traditional roles and sought to pursue their own lives and express their individuality.

You will get a sense of the generations. As capitalism develops and the economy improves, there are intense changes in cultural aspects such as fashion and music, starting from the younger generation. Japan experienced this even more. The youth were in a financial situation where they could cover their living expenses just by going to interviews. With no worries about basic needs, money, or the future, the pursuit of pleasure became more pronounced, and individuality began to be emphasized. At that time, Japanese society idealized women with neat appearances characterized by white skin and black hair. In response to traditional beauty standards, the gyaru culture emerged, featuring tanned skin, bright hair, and exaggerated makeup. However, it wasn't until the 1970s that gyaru became widely recognized as a culture. The term gyaru is a Japanese pronunciation of the English slang word gal, and while it first appeared in the late 1970s, it was simply associated with being young and lively at that time.

The expression referring to women transformed into the meaning we know today as gyaru and established itself as a culture starting in the early 1990s. During this time, Japan experienced an economic recession due to the collapse of the bubble economy. While it was a nationwide issue, for young people just starting their careers, it felt like the sky was falling. They suddenly had no future. As the middle class crumbled and dual-income households increased, not only delinquent youth but also young adults adopted a socially rebellious stance. While some retreated into their homes as hikikomori, others expressed their individuality and freedom. It was in this atmosphere that gyaru emerged. Previously, gyaru simply represented change and individuality, but now it incorporated social and economic reasons as well. It broke away from the traditional image of a demure woman, embodying elements of what we now call girl crush, with socially rebellious individuality and freedom expressed through fashion.

A significant role in the spread of gal culture was played by wealthy female students attending private schools. They expressed their individuality by modifying the traditional school uniform style into shorter versions, sporting expensive European bags, bright brown hair, and slightly tanned skin. In 1993, the Japanese magazine Friday introduced gal culture for the first time, making it known to the public. By 1995, the magazine Egg, which specialized in gal culture, was launched, establishing gal as a fashion genre rather than just a niche preference. With the emergence of famous stars embodying the gal concept, it became a trend among young women. Notably, in September 1992, Amuro Namie became one of the icons representing gal culture in Japan, with her bleached hair, tanned skin, mini skirts, and summer boots becoming popular among women.

It played a significant role in spreading gal culture, gaining explosive popularity. At first glance, it seems a bit different from the strange gal image we know. In South America, having brown skin and blonde hair is indeed common, but it wasn't considered strange. Stars like Ayumi Hamasaki gained immense popularity with the gal style, leading to the emergence of various subcultures. At the same time, this fashion was born from social, economic, and philosophical reasons, rather than just simple decoration. This evolved gal culture began to take shape. The evolved gal style is what we think of as the strange gals. The schoolgirl style of gal is called kogal. A representative style of kogal includes wearing a short school uniform skirt with loose socks. The gal style we generally know is mainly ganguro, characterized by very dark skin tones, bright hair, and exaggerated makeup.

The exaggerated form is the only one that can be called Yamanba. The character Gyaru-san, played by Park Seong-ho in the 2012 Gag Concert, is inspired by Yamanba. Among all Gyaru styles, it features the darkest skin tone and uniquely uses white lipstick, combining white and black in a makeup style that is more akin to a costume than regular makeup. The makeup is so heavy that it can be difficult to distinguish what the face looks like, resembling a primitive talisman. This style tends to evoke strong opinions, as it is quite polarizing. 

The Hime Gyaru style is somewhat different from other styles. As the name suggests, it incorporates the concept of Hime, which means princess in Japanese. This style is characterized by wearing extravagant princess-like dresses and particularly emphasizes exaggerated makeup with prominent eyelashes. Unlike other Gyaru styles, it does not darken the skin tone. Another...

There is a style called one-gal, which combines the Japanese word for older sister, onee, with gal. As the name suggests, one-gal aims for a mature and sophisticated style, primarily wearing business attire paired with luxurious accessories. The gal culture was very popular until the early 2000s. During this time, the gal style varied by region, with the most famous being the Shibuya gal from Tokyo. Additionally, there were Nagoya gals, Kyushu gals, and other regional variations, each with their own unique characteristics. The rise of the gal trend also created social issues. In fact, it wasn't so much that gals created social problems, but rather that girls who were considered delinquents adopted the gal style. In Japan, where issues related to school textbooks and delinquency were becoming more severe, the gal culture was viewed negatively.

From the perspective of observation, the gyaru culture began to decline rapidly from the mid-2000s. The reasons were varied, but the biggest factor was the change in fashion trends and the entertainment industry. During this time, the Korean Wave gained significant popularity in Japan, which was one of the reasons that accelerated the decline of the gyaru culture. Not only was the Korean Wave influential, but Japanese idol groups like AKB48 also gained attention, making the gyaru style seem outdated. So, where did the rebellious youth, the runaways, and the defiant kids go? As mentioned earlier, it wasn't the gyaru that created delinquency; rather, it was the delinquents who adopted the gyaru style. These kids became known as Toyoko Kids, which means the kids of the city. Just when it seemed that the gyaru culture would disappear into history, it made a comeback in the 2010s, as the early 2000s culture started to trend again.

The neo-gal style has emerged, which is not a direct continuation of the past style but rather a modern reinterpretation of the traditional gal style. Neo-gal is nice, and with the emergence of a refined version of gal, the meaning of gal has also changed in modern times. In contemporary Japan, the term gal has expanded to encompass trendy, fashion-conscious, and free-spirited young women. Although there isn't a perfect equivalent for gal in Korean, terms like peppy, insider, or hipster might be somewhat similar. This has been a discussion about the gal fashion culture that was immensely popular among young women across Japan until the early 2000s. This concludes this segment.

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